A year of film criticism through creation, and vice versa.

About the Odyssey

Sunset Boulevard, 1950

“I criticize by creation, not by finding fault.” – Cicero

Whirrr, click, click, click. The projector turns on behind Norma Desmond and her screenwriting house pet, Joe Gillis, and the once blank wall becomes a window into the past. The now-dejected movie star of yesterday is transfigured into a projected commander of the screen and object of adoration, and the old woman on the couch is reminded of the way things were and will be again.

What film does for Norma in Sunset Boulevard it does for all of us. We laugh, cry and think because of the movies, whether they are artistic biographical dramas or road trip buddy comedies. We quote dialogue because we wish we had been cool enough to come up with “Do you feel lucky, punk?” let alone to say it in that dangerous Clint Eastwood growl. We find ourselves both safest and most vulnerable when the lights go down in the theater and the coming attractions remind us that there are always more worlds to explore from creaky upholstered stadium seats.

As a journalist and cinephile, writing about movies is a dream that solidified through both sanctioned and volunteered practice. Now I put all that practice to the test as I publish a short film review every day for the entire year. This is 2014: A Film Odyssey, and I’ll be your critic for the next 365 reviews.

If you want to join the conversation, have a viewing recommendation or just like to chat, feel free to comment or contact me at KateEEverson at gmail dot com.